Why are Rigid Flex PCBs Economical?

There are several great advantages of using rigid-flex PCBs, not just from a technical standpoint, but also from a cost-saving point of view. Using rigid-flex PCBs in your projects can effectively help you reduce your costs whilst also improving the reliability and allowing better performance. There has been an increase in demand for rigid-flex circuit boards for various types of sectors such as medical, military, aerospace, and even in consumer electronics. These types of circuit boards can also be both simple or complex depending on the requirements.

If you are looking to use rigid-flex circuit boards in your next project or electronic device, then here are a few cost-saving advantages of using this PCB:

Ability to Merge Designs

With rigid-flex printed circuit boards, you are able to merge multiple PCBs into one design as only one design is needed for a rigid-flex. Usually, with rigid PCBs, multiple designs and cable assemblies are required for the production. As such, rigid-flex circuit boards can be more expensive to manufacture as they may require multiple designs and cable assemblies to facilitate the production.

Reduced Space Requirements

As rigid-flex PCBs utilise thin and flexible polyimide films, it means that the overall size of the PCB is able to take up a much smaller area of space. This effectively allows you to shrink and reduce the overall packaging size needed for the final assembled product. Ultimately, this reduces the overall requirements for materials, allowing you to save on potential costs.

Fewer Parts Needed

When you use rigid-flex PCBs, you may also see reduced assembly costs due to the requirements of fewer parts. The number of connectors, cables, and overall parts that are needed for a flex circuit, can be reduced to make this a very cost-effective alternative for mass manufacturing. Overall, there are also knock-on advantages when you utilise fewer parts in the production, such as ordering fewer parts means that there is less risk in the supply chain.

If the final assembled product can be produced with fewer parts, then that means you can effectively save on potential costs which you may incur with other types of PCBs.

Simplifies PCB Assembly

Using Rigid-flex PCBs means that you can benefit from a much more simplified PCB assembly process when compared to other types of printed circuit boards. This is because you are able to merge multiple circuit boards into one design and as such, you only need to run one assembly, rather than two or three. Having a simplified circuit board assembly process means that there is less room for error, especially for rigid-flex PCBs as they can only be installed in one way. With fewer errors cropping up, you can effectively save money on resolving potential problems down the line.

Reduces the Testing Costs

Using a rigid-flex solution for your next project also helps you save on testing costs. This type of printed circuit board only requires one test operation, rather than multiple operations. In addition to this, it can also provide the ability to test the full assembly before the installation process.

Overall, using a rigid-flex printed circuit board provides a vast range of cost-saving benefits and they prove to be an economic solution.

Contact Clarydon for Rigid-Flex PCBs

Clarydon Electronic Services has a wealth of expertise in manufacturing and assembling rigid-flex. If you require printed circuit board manufacturing or assembly, then please get in touch with one of our PCB specialists and we would be happy to help.